Book Review: Ricochet by Becca and Krista Richie

I'm giving JL from Avid Reader's Musings the spotlight today, because her blog handles books for a younger audience. But, this NA was too much for her to pass on being able to review.


Blurb:
As a sex addict, Lily Calloway must do the impossible. Stay celibate for 90 days.

Cravings and fantasies become her new routine, but while Loren Hale recovers from his alcohol addiction, Lily wonders if he’ll realize what a monster she really is. After all, her sexual compulsions begin to rule her life the longer she stays faithful to him.

Progress. That’s what Lily’s striving for. But by trying to become closer to her family—people who aren’t aware of her addiction—she creates larger obstacles. When she spends time with her youngest sister, she learns more about her than she ever imagined and senses an unsettling connection between Daisy and Ryke Meadows.

With Lily and Lo’s dysfunctional relationship teetering and unbalanced, they will need to find a way to reconnect from miles apart. But the inability to “touch” proves to be one of the hardest tests on their road to recovery. Some love brushes the surface. Some love is deeper than skin.

Lily and Lo have three months to discover just how deep their love really goes.

------
Includes the first chapter to the sequel Addicted for Now.

Companion to the Sequel: A full-length New Adult Romance that continues where Addicted to You left off. As a companion novel, it bridges the gap between the first and second book. It is highly recommended to be read before Addicted for Now.

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RICOCHET REVIEW TOUR HOSTED BY GCREADING


MY REVIEW:
Ricochet continues the story of Lily Calloway, a young woman who is addicted to sex. Her boyfriend, Loren (Lo) Hale has entered rehab for his alcohol addiction and she is left to fight her cravings for sex without him by her side.

For me, the best part of this installment in the Addicted series was the character of Ryke Meadows. He's honest to the point of being offensive, and pushes all the wrong buttons with Lily, but I thought the story wouldn't have been as good without him. Ryke plays a big part of keeping Lily in line, even though she resents the hell out of his presence. He's a great foil to Lily's character, especially since Lo is absent for the majority of the story.

I also liked how Lily's relationship with her sisters, as well as her past with Lo, was explored more in Ricochet. Through flashbacks, readers are able to experience events in Lily's and Lo's relationship that contributed and lead up to the point they are in the present. These flashbacks give insight into the dynamic between Lily and Lo, as well as their respective addictions. Lily has told her sister, Rose, about her problems and even with their sibling disagreements, it's obvious how close the two are. Rose is dedicated to helping Lily find a way to control herself and I liked how this strengthens the relationship between the two.

Daisy, Lily's youngest sister, and a model, also makes more of an appearance in Ricochet. Daisy is a complex character. Though only fifteen, she acts much older and hangs out with somewhat questionable model types, as shown in the beginning of the story. And her developing closeness with Ryke causes alarm with Lily.

Ricochet is an absorbing story about a young woman coming to terms with who she is and how she can change herself for the better. While there's not a lot of conventional action, Ricochet captivated me and kept me turning pages to the very end. I'm really looking forward to reading about Lily and Lo's continued relationship in the next book. I'm rooting for the both of them - that they are able to overcome both of their addictions and have a life together.


Thanks, JL! And thanks also to the author and GCR Promotions for the following giveaway! Just enter via the rafflecopter at the end of this post.


About The Author(s):
Becca Ritchie is a carnivore of pop culture, television, film and of course YA and NA books. While in college, she worked at The CW television network and put her vampiric knowledge to good use, blogging about hit series and swooning over actors’ abs. When she’s not blogging, she writes novels and has teamed up with her twin sister for their New Adult novel ADDICTED TO YOU. Available July of 2013.

Krista Ritchie is the mind behind popular trading website YA Book Exchange and created Nawanda Files, a book blog that also features books into movies news. When not pouring over entertainment news and the newest releases, she spends her time working in the science field. She’s happy to join forces with her sister, harnessing their twin powers to produce the first in a New Adult series.

Website | Krista Twitter | Becca Twitter | GoodReads

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ARC Review: Big Sky Summer by Linda Lael Miller

Blurb:
With his father's rodeo legacy to continue and a prosperous spread to run, Walker Parrish has no time to dwell on wrecked relationships. But country-western sweetheart Casey Elder is out of the spotlight and back in Parable, Montana. And Walker can't ignore that his "act now, think later" passion for Casey has had consequences. Two teenage consequences!

Keeping her children's paternity under wraps has always been part of Casey's plan to give them normal, uncomplicated lives. Now the best way to hold her family together seems to be to let Walker be a part of it-as her husband of convenience. Or will some secrets-like Casey's desire to be the rancher's wife in every way-unravel, with unforeseen results?


Linda Lael Miller has been a long-time favorite author of mine, from the time I glommed every romance I could get my hands on through middle and high school. Though I prefer science-fiction and fantasy genres overall now, there is something really nice about reading a well-written contemporary romance. Especially right at the beginning of the summer, when the days are longer and I can sit on the front porch with a glass of iced-tea. In fact, this is the feeling Miller's books invoke in me. The modern western settings, the blossoming romances between mature adults and the sense of community that comes across in each novel, that's what made BIG SKY SUMMER so enjoyable.

Walker and Casey have an interesting relationship. I secretly love when a heroine/hero get together over an unexpected pregnancy, find a deeper love, and make a real family. Miller took this same idea, except the pregnancy is in the past, the children are older, and the father has already figured out the "shocker" that he's a "dad". I really liked Miller's approach in BIG SKY SUMMER. Neither of the main characters have made perfect choices in regards to their children, and supposed shared responsibilities. However, the journey of all the characters in the book echo and resonate as more than just a novel.

Walker and Casey's children are also very well-fleshed characters. One of the things that I like about authors like Miller (Robyn Carr, especially) is that the setting and the community are just as important as the individual main characters. Returning to the series means that, though the spotlight might be elsewhere, the characters that I have been introduced to previously won't be abandoned. There's a growth that happens, and the reader gets to see this every step of the way.

My Rating:
12.5/15
Highly Recommend
4 star
A-


I obtained this book from Little Bird Publicity. No other compensation was given for the expectation of an honest review.

Book Tour Review: Eyes of Ember by Rebecca Ethington

Blurb:
Joclyn is in hiding, hunted by the man she still desperately loves. Ryland is gone, his mind erased; no memory of Joclyn remains, but Joclyn’s heart desperately begs her to hold out hope. Meanwhile the black-eyed monster that possesses him attempts to kill her over and over again.

If it wasn’t for Ilyan, Joclyn would be dead by now.

Ilyan, the man who once stalked her, is now Joclyn’s protector, the only person she has left. He protects Joclyn from the men who seek to end her life, and all the while, she is haunted by dreams where Ryland begs her to break the bond between them.

Ilyan is there. Always there.

Ilyan trains and prepares her, teaching her everything she needs to know in the hope that one day she can avenge Ryland, if not protect herself from him.

And then, there is her father.

The man who has never been there is suddenly responsible for everything. And who he is has made Joclyn into something she never wanted to be:

The Silnỳ.



EYES OF EMBER continues the story started in KISS OF FIRE. The book itself isn't a high-octane romp from one action adventure to another, as many YA books tend to be with a paranormal element. Rather, it explores much of the inner feelings and changes that the primary female character (and narrator) Joclyn has had to, and is still dealing with, after the events in the first book. This was actually a plus for me, when I was reading. The plot isn't slow, but it does build on the premise that Joclyn is now separated from Ryland, her initial love interest. She must spend time in hiding and close proximity to another young man, Ilyan.

One of the best aspects of EYES OF EMBER was the sometimes conflicting feelings and actions of Joclyn. Not only did it bring in some of the aspects of being a teenager in a contemporary world, but it also felt like a timeless story that all ages could enjoy and relate to. Joclyn is a well-developed character, who I could see as a flesh and blood girl, not just a flat paper representation.

There was a tinge of isolation and loneliness to the tone of EYES OF EMBER. Not that this was off-putting. In fact, it was the right tone to strike, given the plot. Joclyn and Ilyan spend much of the book with only each other for company, and Joclyn's forays into her dreams to visit the Ryland she loves and misses, is heart-wrenching. Ethington is adept at building an emotional story, in EYES OF EMBER, one that carries the reader along on the same journey her characters are experiencing.

Book Rating:
11.5/15
3.5 star
B+

About The Author:
Rebecca Ethington has been telling stories since she was small. First, with writing crude scripts, and then in stage with years of theatrical performances. The Imdalind Series is her first stint into the world of literary writing. Rebecca is a mother to two, and wife to her best friend of 14 years. She was born and raised in the mountains of Salt Lake City, and hasn’t found the desire to leave yet. Her days are spent writing, running, and enjoying life with her amazing family.

Website | Twitter



This book was provided by the author via GCR Promotions, with no other compensation except for the expectation of an honest review

Book Tour Review: Tidal by Emily Snow

Blurb:
Now that Willow Avery is out of rehab, she's got one chance left to prove herself before she’s officially on every producer’s shit list. At least, that's what her parents and agent are claiming. She doesn't really give a damn if she never makes another movie or not—she just wants to get on with her life, get back to her friends, and find her next escape. But Willow is broke. And whether she likes it or not, acting is the only job she knows how to do.

When she accepts the lead in a beach drama, Willow finds herself in Hawaii. And in Hawaii, she finds Cooper, the gorgeous surfer hired to train her for her new role. With the bluest eyes she’s ever seen and the sexiest Australian accent she’s ever heard, Cooper’s different from the men she’s used to. He doesn’t want to use her. And he refuses to let her fail.

But when an old friend re-enters Willow’s life—a friend whose toxicity she’s been drawn to time and time before and whose presence brings about the painful memories she's tried so hard to suppress—Willow will have to choose between the girl she was and the person she’s becoming. The lifestyle that helps her forget the pain and the man she’s falling hard for.


I liked the premise of TIDAL right from the beginning. The second chance and redemption aspect of the book drew me in and was skillfully handled by the author. Willow is starting over from her spoiled, drunken, drug-fueled past after rehab. Not only does she have community service to complete, but she has to train for a new movie role. She's thrown right back into real life, with all of its physical and emotional demands and can't fall back onto her old habits of numbing with substances. Even better, the author Emily Snow, has written Willow in a relatable enough way, that the reader really gets the idea that Willow doesn't want to fall back into her old habits. There's a great inner dialog of hers that keeps the reader aware of how hard it is for her to do what she is doing.

Snow portrays Willow and her surf trainer slash love interest with real depth. Though they both have secrets that are revealed near the end of the book with great fanfare, their characters are not flat up until that point. They are not page holders to advance a certain plot or agenda. Cooper is especially interesting because he seems to understand what Willow is going through, but gives her no quarter in excusing herself.

I really though that the struggle, as well as the romance and ultimate ending of TIDAL was well-crafted. The language wasn't overblown, but there were parts that didn't pull any punches, especially in dialog. Hawaii and surfing is the background of this novel, but ultimately it is a great story of finding truth in oneself, finding romance and someone who cares, and getting rid of toxic behaviors and people.

Book Rating:
13/15
4 star
A-

Goodreads
NookBook | Amazon | Kindle

About The Author:
Emily Snow is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of the DEVOURED series (2012, 2013) and TIDAL (2012).

Website | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads


Complete Tidal Tour Schedule from GCR Promotions


This book was provided by the author via GCR Promotions, with no other compensation except for the expectation of an honest review

Book Review: Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin

Blurb:
I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after.

I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile.

And now I’m going back.

After ten years.

I hope I can explain that after all this time.

I still want her to be my forever girl.



FOREVER MY GIRL started out as a lament to a character that the reader never gets to know, at least not in the present time. Mason, a beloved friend, father, husband, and hometown hero has died. The assembled cast of characters that include lost loves, Josie and Liam are gathering for his funeral. A secret that Josie kept is revealed almost right away, but I won't say, in case it is thought a spoiler. What I will say is that FOREVER MY GIRL pretty much had my attention with rock-star, lost love, and a trope that I can't get enough of in romance.

To be honest, when I read the first few chapters, I was afraid the book was going to get bogged down in the grief over Mason and be a downer. But, that didn't happen, luckily. Yes, Mason's death shapes the backbone of the plot, but ultimately Josie and Liam are in the spotlight as they reconnect and discover things about their shared past.

There was a slow build-up to the romance in this book. In fact, for a lot of the story McLaughlin had Josie happily matched with another person, but Liam's return had Josie thinking about his place in her life and how she really felt about him. FOREVER MY GIRL was actually a really good study of two people with a relationship that never really ended, and feelings that stayed in their hearts, even during separation and other partners.

Book Rating:
12/15
3.5 star
B+


About The Author:
My grandma once told me that I can do anything I want, so I am.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, I now live in picturesque Vermont, with my husband and two daughters. Also renting space in our home is an overhyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets.

During the day you'll find me behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, I'm writing one of the many stories I plan to release or sitting courtside during either daughter's basketball games.

I'm also an active reviewer on The Readiacs - a site I own with my best friend and uber special beta, Yvette.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads


This book was provided by the author via Good Choice Reading, with no other compensation except for the expectation of an honest review

Book Tour Review: The Alchemists Academy (Elemental Explosions) by Kailin Gow

Blurb:
A new student has entered The Alchemists Academy, and he brings with him an explosive power that threatens the Academy and the legend of Merlin.

Wirt thought he was the only bad boy at the Academy, but he was wrong. Not only is Roland Black worse than Wirt, but a new teacher had replaced one of their beloved teachers, and she has more planned for Wirt and his friends than just lesson plans.

Alana, his crush has grown prettier, and now he is rivals for her attention with not only his best friend Spencer, but newcomer Roland, as well. On top of that, it is their second year, and the year where all the students must pass a test to move on to the Elite Class at the Academy.

The Elite Class is the only class in the third year at the Academy, and the students who fail will be sent home, others will face something even deadlier.



The second installment of THE ALCHEMISTS ACADEMY brings back the characters from before: Wirt, Alana, Spencer and their instructors. But, Wirt isn't the new student on the block anymore. In their second year, the young students are joined by Roland Black. Black turned out to be an interesting character to me. Wirt didn't trust him from the beginning and since the reader sees everything from Wirt's eyes, we are also left to wonder at Black's preternatural-seeming popularity with the young girls at the Alchemists Academy and also with his proficiency at school subjects. Kailin Gow did an excellent job of introducing a possible foe, while also not making him too obviously evil or even more than just suspicious.

In ELEMENTAL EXPLOSIONS, the second year students learn that the whole of the semester could potentially be a test for the "Elite Class", a very select third year class. In the first installment, after Wirt's introduction to the Alchemist's Academy, the plot turned to a quest for a missing relic. Here, Gow has constructed a plot around the machinations of the headmaster, Black and Wirt's separation from Spencer, a fellow student and former roommate.

While there is not the same excitement and danger as the quest device, a princess' disappearance, Spencer and Alana's relationship discord, and a shocking discovery that Wirt makes about Roland Black filled the pages and made ELEMENTAL EXPLOSIONS a one-sitting read for me. In keeping with the first book in the series, Gow captured my attention with the magical exploits of a group of young students. THE ALCHEMISTS ACADEMY series is a great foray into fantasy for Harry Potter fans and magic enthusiasts.

Book Rating:
12/15
3.5 star
B+

NookBook | Kindle


About The Author:
Kailin Gow is the award-winning, international bestselling author of over 80 distinct books.

Kailin Gow is also the President of a media company, a media personality, and has been writing full-time since she was first published. Holding a Masters in communications management and leadership positions in Fortune 500 corporations, she puts her leadership abilities, her experience, and desire to help others into her fiction books. As a result, she has written the forthcoming, Finding the Heroine in You book which is also a national tour.

She is a mother and spends whatever spare time she has volunteering at the Red Cross, Battered Women's Shelters, and other organizations.

Currently her Frost Series is in development for a major international MMO Game, and she has over 14,000 and growing Frost-ers on her Facebook fan page.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Book Club | Goodreads


This book was provided by the author via Book Blasts and Blog Tours, with no other compensation other than the expectation of an honest review

Blog Tour: Embers In A Dark Frost by Kelly Keaton Book Review

Blurb:
The Fire Breathers have come. The Underworld calls. A choice must be made...

With her feared half blood and flame-colored hair, DEIRA D'ANU is a constant reminder of human betrayal and the war that claimed the light from Innis Fail. Now, darkness and frost creep across the land, strengthening the Lord of the Underworld. War is imminent—an allegiance with the Fire Breathers is vital. When their champion, Balen, sees Deira, he believes she is the key to finding the light and stopping the dark frost.

But the Underworld calls to Deira, tempting her to turn her back on a world that never cared and betray the champion willing to sacrifice everything to keep her safe and save his world from darkness.



EMBERS IN A DARK FROST introduces a world where humans have no place. Deira is a half-breed -human and Anu- which means that she is shunned and treated as a lesser person. Indeed, Kelly Keaton has written of the ultimate outcast, not just because a physical feature marks out Deira as different. Her heritage is seen as weakness to her kind and she lives as a servant.

Knowing that Keaton is the author of other books that I have enjoyed immensely, I approached this book with a little trepidation. But, the feeling left me almost immediately. The world that Keaton has created in EMBERS IN A DARK FROST is complex and unlike anything I have read in a long while. Most of the fantasy I read does not involve a solely non-human world. It was intriguing and captured my attention from the start.

Though there is much to learn about the world, I never felt that I was being left behind. Keaton deftly navigates the reader through Deira's journey, the other important characters and avoids massive info dumps that can take a reader out of the story. Just enough is revealed at crucial moments, while also keeping me on my toes about what else this world might throw out next. EMBERS IN A DARK FROST is a good story, one with great pacing, well-written characters, and an author that clearly knows what she is doing.

Book Rating:
12.5/15
4 star
A-

Goodreads
NookBook | Smashwords | Kindle | iTunes


About The Author:
Kelly loves ancient history, fantasy, and mythology. She dreams of one day attaining magical powers, discovering the secret to immortality, ridding her home of pet hair, and being crowned Mardi-Gras queen. 

As Kelly Gay, she writes the popular adult urban fantasy series, Charlie Madigan, for Pocket Books. While she calls Raleigh, NC, home, she can also be found chatting about books and life on Facebook and Twitter.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


This book was provided by the author via Good Choice Reading Promotions, with no other compensation except for the expectation of an honest review

Book Tour Review: The Alchemists Academy (Stones To Ashes) by Kailin Gow

The Alchemists Academy Book 1: Stones to Ashes

What do you learn here...at the Academy? Wirt asks. Magic? The responsibility to use your powers responsibly? Uh...something like that, his roommate Spencer said. More like how to rule worlds.

Wirt, is used to being shuffled from foster home to foster home, adopting a devil-may-care attitude toward the world along the way. Now he s in a school he can t escape, learning to develop his latent magical abilities, for what use, he doesn't know...

To save his world or to destroy it...



STONES TO ASHES was actually a fairly low-key YA fantasy, involving magical elements. The book started out with the hero, Wirt, in a world of trouble, but it didn't rely upon frenetic action sequences and constant danger to keep the reader engaged. In fact, there could be a parallel to the HARRY POTTER series drawn here. Wirt discovers a hidden world where students attend a school that teaches them the ins and outs of magic- or alchemy, as it's called here. Alchemy has more to do with the chemistry of making the "impossible" possible than the usual "now you see it..." of magic.

I really enjoyed this first part of THE ALCHEMISTS ACADEMY series. There was a beginning to Wirt's adventures, and a mystery that engaged the characters that he comes to call classmates and friends. Each character has their own personality, and Kailin Gow is proficient in making all of the characters, even the ones not in the spotlight, matter. At the end, it is clear that Wirt and his friends' adventures will continue, however Gow relies on a solid plot, interesting characters, and simple yet affective writing, instead of a cliffhanger to make me, as a reader, want more.

There's really not anything that I didn't like about STONES TO ASHES. In fact, I almost feel that Wirt, as a semi-underdog hero, was a refreshing change from what I usually read. He doesn't have all of the answers, he makes some mistakes along the way, but in the end, his determination and drive to somehow do the right thing leads him to a satisfactory end. Wirt is a regular guy, with who I think, female and male readers will be able to relate. The language and content of STONES TO ASHES is easily accessible to younger YA readers, while not being "dumbed down".

Book Rating: 13/15
4 star
A-

NookBook | Kindle


About The Author:
Kailin Gow is the award-winning, international bestselling author of over 80 distinct books.

Kailin Gow is also the President of a media company, a media personality, and has been writing full-time since she was first published. Holding a Masters in communications management and leadership positions in Fortune 500 corporations, she puts her leadership abilities, her experience, and desire to help others into her fiction books. As a result, she has written the forthcoming, Finding the Heroine in You book which is also a national tour.

She is a mother and spends whatever spare time she has volunteering at the Red Cross, Battered Women's Shelters, and other organizations.

Currently her Frost Series is in development for a major international MMO Game, and she has over 14,000 and growing Frost-ers on her Facebook fan page.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Book Club | Goodreads


This book was provided by the author via Book Blasts and Blog Tours, in exchange for my honest review only

ARC Review: Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Blurb:
In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.


In some ways, I thought that BLACK CITY was a totally predictable YA dystopian, but in others ways I thought it was a fierce kick-ass vampire young love/coming of age story. What? you ask. How can that be? Yeah, I'm not sure either, but there you go. I really struggled with writing this review because my bullet points were basically:

• Typical post-apoc esque YA
• Somewhat dystopian world with us and them dynamic
• Vampires, really? (Even at the height of the vampire craze, I've always always preferred shapeshifters/werewolves)

My notes in my head sounded vaguely critical, but when I would actually try to translate them into thoughts via typing, mostly praise and accolades would spill out. Wait? I would say, what just HAPPENED here? And so I would start over, but the truth is, I DID like BLACK CITY. I think that Elizabeth Richards did a fine job crafting a NOT typical post-apoc, dystopian, vampires versus humans, ruthless YA world. Spinning everything on its head, the vamps were not at the top of the food chain at all.

In fact, I found the most interesting part of the plot line to be the vampire (or Darkling situation). Living in a ghetto, reminiscent of the Jews in Poland (and other places) during WWII, the vamps are starved, treated poorly, and dangerously isolated. One of my bullet points about the post-apoc world makes this a typical set-up, but it is usually the humans who suffer from this type of treatment, by a government or group that is evolutionarily or anatomically superior. There were scenes that I could predict were coming and situations that I earmarked as set-up for a future event, but predictable or typical is only negative when the book becomes boring as a result of this. And BLACK CITY was anything but boring.

The social commentary and resultant actions that come about because of the Darkling situation, is skillfully handled by Richards in a way that echoes the wave of rebellion that sweeps the Districts throughout THE HUNGER GAMES series. In the end, what I thought might sound like a critical review is not. Richards kept me on my toes, even when I thought I had the upper hand. This is a world that I will definitely return to, and relish the thought of continuing adventures. Brava.

Book Rating:
12.5/15
4 stars
A-

I acquired this book at Book Expo America 2012, with no other compensation but the hope for an honest review

Book Review: My Sister Lives On The Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

Blurb:
Ten-year-old Jamie hasn't cried since it happened. He knows he should have - Jasmine cried, Mum cried, Dad still cries. Roger didn't, but then he is just a cat and didn't know Rose that well, really.

Everyone kept saying it would get better with time, but that's just one of those lies that grown-ups tell in awkward situations. Five years on, it's worse than ever: Dad drinks, Mum's gone and Jamie's left with questions that he must answer for himself.

This is his story, an unflinchingly real yet heart-warming account of a young boy's struggle to make sense of the loss that tore his family apart.


MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE starts off with loss. From the title, it's not a mystery, but what makes it so shocking is the viewpoint. A 10-year old boy is narrating his life without his sister. How his father behaves, how his other sister (twin to the one who has passed) behaves, and how he fits into the dynamic of a family torn apart. What is a mystery at first, is how the sister died. There is a reference to the "remains" of his sister's body, and this is before she has been cremated. There is also a reference to his Jamie's father's hatred of Muslims. Note: This book takes place in England.

More details are revealed as the novel goes on. I won't spoil it, but I will say that Annabel Pitcher successfully navigates the delicate matter of learned hatred and racism, due to the sister's death, and also builds a dreary, but realistic picture of how a family can become so divided by the absence of one member. That's not to say that I didn't have some issues with the content and the writing. There were several odd or awkward scenes that had me saying, okayyyy?! However, remembering that the narrator is supposed to be ten, and understanding the nature of losing a close family member, those bits weren't off-putting.

The bottom line is that MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE lives up to its moniker. It is a book about death, about coping with death, and about relating to the other people around you that are trying to make sense of something senseless. This novel is important in its own way, especially as it is written in a vocabulary that even middle grade readers could understand. Having read this book for a book club, and having had the chance to deconstruct it with others, I could see MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE being a benchmark tool in classrooms and homes for those of all ages to discuss loss.

Book Rating:
11.5/15
3.5 stars
B+

I acquired this book at my local public library

Book Review: Moranthology by Caitlin Moran

Blurb:
‘In HOW TO BE A WOMAN, I was limited to a single topic: women. Their hair, their shoes and their crushes on Aslan from The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (which I KNOW to be universal).

‘However! In my new book MORANTHOLOGY – as the title suggests – I am set free to tackle THE REST OF THE WORLD: Ghostbusters, Twitter, caffeine, panic attacks, Michael Jackson’s memorial service, being a middle-class marijuana addict, Doctor Who, binge-drinking, Downton Abbey, pandas, my own tragically early death, and my repeated failure to get anyone to adopt the nickname I have chosen for myself: ‘Puffin’.

‘I go to a sex-club with Lady Gaga, cry on Paul McCartney’s guitar, get drunk with Kylie, appear on Richard & Judy as a gnome, climb into the TARDIS, sniff Sherlock Holmes’s pillows at 221b Baker Street, write Amy Winehouse’s obituary, turn up late to Downing Street for Gordon Brown, and am rudely snubbed at a garden party by David Cameron –although that’s probably because I called him ‘A C3PO made of ham’. Fair enough.

‘And, in my spare time – between hangovers - I rant about the welfare state, library closures and poverty; like a shit Dickens or Orwell, but with tits.’


I honestly don't think I could do justice to the feelings that were evoked during my reading of MORANTHOLOGY, in a mere review. The fact is, I very rarely read women's non-fiction, not to mention non-fiction that isn't about the craft of writing or literacy. However, Caitlin Moran piqued my interest. A British writer/voice/setting ALWAYS piques my interest. But, something about the varied subjects of Moran's essays, articles, reviews and interviews -Ghostbusters to Lady Gaga to the welfare state to vacationing and travel to the addiction of World of Warcraft- sounded like just what I needed to read.

There were several tales that I absolutely loved in MORANTHOLOGY, but so totally out of left field, my favorite ended up being the Keith Richards interview. One of my exes is a total classic rock fan. Hum the first bars of any Beatles song, and he knows it. He's the one who pegged the CSIs all had theme songs by The Who, only by my butchered renditions. And he's the one who introduced me to The Rolling Stones. Truth: I liked their music, but I never GOT it. Like really understood. But somewhere after starting page 54 and finishing page 68 in MORANTHOLOGY, I got it. I really understood.

Moran also explores some of the most important faces and events of the 2000s here. Early on, CELEBRITY WATCH SPECIAL: MICHAEL JACKSON'S MEMORIAL, shows her understanding of our "reality TV obsessed" world and THE BEST ROYAL WEDDING EVER, digs deeper into not just the British connection with their monarchy, but how it's evolved from mere awe to "they're people too".

The Sherlock reviews, juxtaposed against the Downton Abbey reviews are brilliant. Brilliantly written, and brilliantly broken down to their important parts. About Downton Abbey Season 2: "The megaplot that Downton currently revolves around is the state of Cousin Matthew's (Dan Stevens) trousers." About Sherlock Season 2: "And so A Scandal In Belgravia was an hour and a half of two odd, fast, hot people being confused by each other; not quite knowing why they jangle when they're around each other; not quite knowing what to do with their feelings."

Though, KEITH -NODDY HOLDER SAYS YOU WEAR A WIG is my favorite story in MORANTHOLOGY, the one that touched me the most with its, That's Exactly How I Would Say If She Hadn't Said It First, was I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE POOR... In the current political climate, and after having just seen SJP slay Billy Bush on TV, Moran chimes in with alacrity, even though she's speaking of her own country's politics. "when you are poor, you feel heavy." "The heaviness comes from the sclerosis of being broke. Because when you're poor, nothing ever changes. Every idea you have for moving things on is quashed through there never being any money." "...a Coalition government consisting of public school kids and millionaires, you could convince yourself the poor are snug in their motor homes." "-the very last thing-anyone poor needs is for things to be harder. These limbs are full to bursting."

This book that Moran has compiled of previously published articles and essays was all that I was looking for when I opened to the first page. Her humor is witty and dry, all that a great British woman should possess. Her heartfelt essays are sincere and lyrical. Moran's writing is intelligently wise, belying her age, and the fact that once she did indeed, "put a wasp in a jar and got it stoned".

Book Rating:
12.5/15
4 Stars
A-

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About The Author:
Caitlin Moran had literally no friends in 1990, and so had plenty of time to write her first novel, The Chronicles of Narmo, at the age of fifteen. At sixteen she joined music weekly, Melody Maker, and at eighteen briefly presented the pop show ‘Naked City’ on Channel 4. Following this precocious start she then put in eighteen solid years as a columnist on The Times – both as a TV critic and also in the most-read part of the paper, the satirical celebrity column ‘Celebrity Watch’ – winning the British Press
Awards’ Columnist of The Year award in 2010 and Critic and Interviewer of the Year in 2011.

The eldest of eight children, home-educated in a council house in Wolverhampton, Caitlin read lots of books about feminism – mainly in an attempt to be able to prove to her brother, Eddie, that she was scientifically better than him. Caitlin isn’t really her name. She was christened ‘Catherine’. But she saw ‘Caitlin’ in a Jilly Cooper novel when she was 13 and thought it looked exciting. That’s why she pronounces it incorrectly: ‘Catlin’. It causes trouble for everyone.

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This book was provided by the publisher, in exchange for my honest review only

Gothic/Gaslamp Wednesday Review: The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber

Blurb:
For Natalie Stewart, a normal life has never seemed so far away. Her only solace, Lord Jonathan Denbury, is wanted for murder. To clear his name, Denbury must return to England and assume the role of his demon doppelganger. 

But Natalie begins to doubt his true motives, especially as a new gentleman begins whispering in her ear. Natalie and Denbury may be able to visit each other in their dreams, but they can't escape the darkening shadows. 

spontaneous explosions, friends turned enemies and dangerous secrets revealed, there's still a demon who has Natalie's scent, and someone is trying to resurrect the ultimate evil.


It's funny that I happened to read THE TWISTED TALE OF MISS NATALIE STEWART just before I read another gothic tale. Perhaps, after reading this wonderful addition to the DARKER STILL series, I still had a taste for a good gothic mystery. Regardless, this book continued the tale of Natalie Stewart and her love, Jonathan Denbury. having been rescued from the painting that he was trapped in, the two embark on a journey (figuratively and literally, at points) to find and uncover the villain they can't seem to shed. I've already slightly spoiled DARKER STILL, the first book in the series, and to avoid major spoilers for both, I won't speak too much on the plot.

However, Natalie has regained her voice, which makes her part in discovering more about the demon that walked about as Jonathan slightly easier, as now she can talk to her confidantes and help Jonathan don the personality of his demon doppelganger. In DARKER STILL, Natalie is an intelligent young woman, and rather unlike the truth of a majority of Victorian women. She has a freedom that is seldom contained, and a sharp mind that the reader gets to experience more of in THE TWISTED TRAGEDY OF MISS NATALIE STEWART.

What I like about Leanna Renee Hieber's writing is that is has little touches here and there that seem to go beyond one-dimentional research. There is an authenticity employed in the dress, the speech, and the personalities that seem impossible for someone who could never have experienced Victorian or Gaslamp society themselves.

THE TWISTED TRAGEDY OF MISS NATALIE STEWART was all that I could hope for in a follow-up to DARKER STILL. Everything that I liked about the characters from the first book has perfect continuity in this one. Hieber knows how to spin a great tale, where the setting is just as important as the story, and she captured my interest with the unusual tale of Denbury and Natalie. Starting out as a tribute to the Dorian Grey idea, the series has gone beyond what most know about the "picture". Hieber has molded and twisted the idea into her own with great success.

Book Rating:
13/15
4 Stars
A-

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About The Author:
Author, actress and playwright Leanna Renee Hieber grew up in rural Ohio inventing ghost stories. She graduated with a BFA in Theatre and a focus in the Victorian Era from Miami University. She began her theatrical career with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and began adapting works of 19th Century literature for the stage. Her one-act plays such as Favorite Lady have been published, awarded and produced around the country. Her novella Dark Nest won the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in the genre of Futuristic, Fantasy, or Paranormal Romance.

Her debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, first in her Strangely Beautiful series, landed on Barnes & Noble's bestseller lists, was named a favourite of 2009 by 14 book blogs, won two 2010 Prism Awards (Best Fantasy, Best First Book), the 2010 Orange County Book Buyer's Best Award (Young Adult category) and is currently in development as a musical theatre production with Broadway talent on board. The Strangely Beautiful series has been translated into several languages and was selected for hardcover editions via Rhapsody and SciFi Book Clubs. The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess, the prequel in the series, won the 2012 Prism Award (Best Fantasy).

DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul, first in Leanna's Gothic Historical Paranormal saga for teens (Sourcebooks Fire), hit the Kid's/YA INDIE NEXT LIST as a recommended title by the American Booksellers Association. Seventeen Magazine said of DARKER STILL: "This chilling tale will draw you in and keep you guessing until the very last page!" The book has been praised by Shelf Awareness, The Chicago Tribune, Pixie Magazine and more. DARKER STILL will also be translated into several languages and has been selected for a SCHOLASTIC edition as a "highly recommended" title.

Leanna's short fiction has been featured in anthologies Candle In the Attic Window and the upcoming Willful Impropriety: Tales of Society and Scandal, "Too Fond"; a forthcoming short for Tor.com and Queen Victoria's Book of Spells: Tales of Gaslight Fantasy (March 2013, Tor).

Represented by Nicholas Roman Lewis, Leanna is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She is proud to be a co-founder of the original Lady Jane's Salon Reading Series in New York. Leanna was named the 2010 RWA NYC Chapter Author of the Year.

A member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, Leanna works often in film and television on shows like Boardwalk Empire and is thrilled to be playing a principle role as Deputy Kellion in the forthcoming web-series Auror's Tale. When not writing or on set, she's busy telling ghost stories, frequenting Goth clubs, corset shopping, channeling Narcissa Malfoy, wandering graveyards and generally adventuring about her adopted hometown of New York City, where she resides with her real-life hero and their beloved rescued lab rabbit.

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This book was provided by Around The World ARC Tours, in exchange for my honest review only

Gothic/Gaslamp Wednesday Review: Ours Is Just a Little Sorrow by Gwen Hayes

Blurb:
The colony of New Geneva has risen from the ashes of her dying mother planet, Earth, by rebuilding a society based on a time before everything went horribly, horribly wrong... the Victorian Era...

Violet Merriweather first sets eyes on Colonel Winston when he purchases her at auction from Witherspoon Academy, the orphanage where she’d been raised after her rescue from Earth. Dutifully, as she was taught, Violet pushes away her fear of the monstrous, forbidding Thornfield Abbey, and throws herself into her work as governess to the Colonel’s youngest son.

But the Colonel's elder sons have other ideas.

John and Gideon Winston are as different as night and day, and each wants to claim Violet for his own. John immediately charms her with his intelligence and cordial demeanor, while Gideon, the dark rogue, delights in flustering her at every opportunity, awakening a yearning she doesn't understand and most assuredly does not want. She tries to deny her pull to both men, but an uneasy midnight bargain with one forges a new alliance as she’s dazzled by an underground New Geneva she hadn't known existed. And temptations she cannot resist.

But something is preying on the women of New Geneva, something that threatens to unleash the ghosts of Thornfield and drag them all into hell. And that something wants Violet most of all.


OURS IS JUST A LITTLE SORROW starts out at an auction, where orphans are sold into service to wealthy families. Sounds a bit harsh for a beginning? Gwen Hayes is adept at capturing trepidation Violet Merriweather feels as her story opens. The story thrusts the reader into a futuristic world, which has reverted to the Victorian way of living, post-apocolypse. A world where the serving class happens to be those that are raised in orphanages, and the upper class can hold some dangerous secrets.

The reader lives mostly in Violet's head, getting a chance to experience her life in the household of Colonel Winston, where she meets his two sons, John and Gideon. Now, here's where Hayes impressed me. The two guys/one girl trope could have turned into a typical love triangle, but it didn't seem there just for the sake of being there. Violet's attraction and friendship with the two brothers is a revelation for how she had grown up. For someone who is supposed to know that she is lesser and not worthy of the same affection between her and her "employers", it is quite interesting to see how the two vastly different personalities of the brother affect and beguile Violet.

Hayes has a lyrical quality to her writing that is perfect for this novella. The darker aspect of the plot is a gothic tale at its best. Though Hayes throws in several different themes -aspects of steampunk/gaslamp culture, mystery, suspense, romance, and shades of JANE EYRE- she twists all of these together to create a novella that read like a 400 page sci-fi/fantasy. My attention was captured throughout, even though the action was low-key. The autumn season is a perfect time to try out OURS IS JUST A LITTLE SORROW. It's short enough to be just the tidbit for a chilly weekend indoors, but fulfilling enough to not be left wanting.

Book Rating:
13.5/15
4.5 Stars
A

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About The Author:
Gwen Hayes lives in the Pacific Northwest with her real life hero, their children, and the pets that own them. She writes stories for teen and adult readers about love, angst, and saving the world.

Gwen's first novel, Falling Under, was released in March of 2011 by NAL/Penguin and followed up by the sequel, Dreaming Awake, in January of 2012.

She is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.

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This book was provided by the author, in exchange for my honest review only

Book Review: Under His Skin by Sidney Bristol

Blurb:
A woman who doesn’t believe she deserves love...

Toe-curling kisses and enough sex to fill a weekend were all Pandora wanted from a fling with her teenage crush. She’s never forgotten how he played the knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress. She’s ready to say thank you in several naughty ways, so long as she can walk away when it’s over with her heart intact.

A man moving on from tragedy...

Brian has no intention of allowing the feisty tattoo artist to leave after one taste. He hasn’t had enough of her inked curves. The packaging might have changed, but Pandy is the woman he hasn’t been able to excise from his memory. He’s ready to put together a new life, one that includes her.

But Brian isn’t the only one vying for Pandora’s attention. Someone else wants her, dead or alive.



I was really interested in UNDER HIS SKIN when I saw the cover and read the blurb. Tattoos are a bit of an obsession with me; after I got my first one, I just wanted to keep going back for more. So of course, I was intrigued by the prospect of reading a romance that had a tattoo parlor (and female tattoo artist) as part of the story. Each chapter is headed by an important tattoo definition, and as I read, I noticed how the lead-off was related to the chapter it headed. Not only did this contribute to the overall authenticity of the book, but it also taught me a few things I didn't previously know.

I really enjoyed Pandora and Brian's relationship. Though they have a history that includes a very painful experience of Pandora's, the two manage to muddle along. And I say, muddle along, because their relationship isn't easy or their love instant. The two have an attraction, and don't try to stop themselves from ending up in bed together, but the rest develops in a real-time and real-life sort of way, over the course of the whole novella. Again, Sidney Bristol demonstrates an authenticity to the process of love and the pattern of a relationship here, just as she does with the parts involving tattoos and their artistry.

Ultimately, even with the involvement of the tattoo parlor, UNDER HIS SKIN is a story of Pandora coming to terms with her past, learning to trust Brian, and giving their relationship a try. Brian too, has a past that haunts him, and though he is quicker to recognize his feelings, the two actually go through a process to get to love. Especially with Pandora's ex, Robert, lurking in the shadows. Bristol brings to life an enjoyable erotic romance that wasn't just about the sex, and introduces characters that I hope to see in further SO INKED books.

Book Rating:
13/15
4 stars
A-

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About The Author:
It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.

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This book was provided by Bewitching Book Tours, in exchange for my honest review only

Blog Tour Book Review: Stitch by Samantha Durante

Blurb:
Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run... but yet she’s powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface...


STITCH was a very interesting read for me. What I expected was not necessarily what I got, but that's not a bad thing either. Because of the blurb, I thought that STITCH would be a wholly paranormal read, immersing me in a world of unearthly things with mystery and a dash of dystopia. That does come, but not in the first part of the novel. In fact, the first 1/3 of STITCH reads like a contemporary. The reader experiences Alessa's life in college. A life that has gone off the expected track with the death of her parents some months before. The point-of-view is solely from Alessa's limited sight, so her feelings, experiences, and personality are what get the spotlight.

Then, a little unexpectedly, the point-of-view shifts to the ghost that Alessa often sees. Now, several chapters are devoted to his life and the thoughts and feelings he has about seeing a strange girl appear and disappear. From there, there is somewhat of an alternating viewpoint. The setup of the beginning of the book builds the mystery of what allows Isaac and Alessa to see each other, and gives a purpose to Alessa's actions. Though she is supposed to be attending classes, a majority of the focus is on her social life (being part of a sorority and meeting "real" guy, Nikhil) and her research into Isaac and his family.

Most books that start a series clearly show that they are building up to something. Something that probably won't happen in book one, because the drive for readers to continue the series needs to be there. STITCH has this same sense of a path being forged that will lead somewhere important, but there is plenty of substance in the story being told here. I didn't feel that same sense of impending doom about a cliffhanger that I usually do about paranormal YA series books, as I neared the final pages. I don't want to spoil or reveal anything about the end of STITCH, but I will say that the book was a satisfying read, with a combination of YA and New Adult issues presented in with a mash-up of mystery, suspense, and paranormal elements.

Book Rating:
12/15
3.5 Stars
B+


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About The Author:
Samantha Durante lives in New York City with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. Stitch is her first novel.
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This book was provided by the author, in exchange for my honest review only